Softball Returns To Super Bulldog Weekend Slate Hosting No. 16 Alabama

STARKVILLE – For the first time since the 2018 season, Mississippi State softball will play at home on Super Bulldog Weekend, MSU's annual spring homecoming. The Bulldogs will host No. 16 Alabama for three games at Nusz Park with the series finale on Sunday broadcast nationally on SEC Network.

Super Bulldog Weekend, presented by Pearl River Resort, has historically produced some of State's largest crowds. 1,612 fans packed Nusz Park in 2016 to see the Bulldogs battle LSU over the course of 12 innings. That crowd stood as the MSU school record until the Bulldogs hosted Arizona in the Super Regionals last May and welcomed 2,000-plus fans on consecutive days.

Alabama's last Super Bulldog Weekend appearance in Nusz Park came in 2014 when State took the series from the then-No. 3 Crimson Tide with a walk-off victory in the 10th inning of the series finale.

The Bulldogs (23-16, 3-8 SEC) will again face a ranked team, and all of their remaining SEC foes are currently ranked inside the NFCA Top 25. If those rankings hold, State will set a new school record with 25 regular-season contests against ranked teams by season's end.

MSU's pitching staff ranks fourth nationally in strikeouts (310). Meanwhile Alabama (29-12, 6-6 SEC) has been getting it done a little bit differently as the Crimson Tide boasts the nation's individual strikeouts leader in Montana Fouts (223).

Game Coverage

Leading Off

Super Bulldog Crowds: Seven of the top 15 crowds in MSU history have come on Super Bulldog Weekend. The largest of those was a 1,612-strong crowd that saw State and LSU play 12 innings in 2012. That crowd stood as the school record prior to last year's two Super Regional games against Arizona.

Milestone Markers: The next home run for Paige Cook and Chloe Malau'ulu will be the 20th of their careers and put them in the MSU career top 10. Malau'ulu needs another 24 hits to reach 200 for her career, and Grace Fagan is six career strikeouts shy of 200.

A Punch Out Per Inning: All but one Bulldog pitcher averages more than one strikeout per inning.

Spreading The Load: MSU's pitching staff ranks second in the nation in strikeouts as a team (297). However, of the top 10 teams, only MSU does not have an individual with 100 punch outs this year.

Taking On Top Teams: Every remaining SEC opponent on State's schedule is currently ranked, and if they stay so through their contests with MSU, the Bulldogs are on track to play 25 regular-season games against ranked teams in 2023. That would break the MSU regular season record set in 2017 by one game.

Free Passes: Macy Graf and Riley Hull are averaging 0.61 walks per game, which has both hitters among the top 100 nationally. Hull has walked in 25.6 percent of her plate appearances, which is the fifth-highest walk rate in the country.

Start Strong: MSU is 14-4 when scoring first this season and 12-1 when leading after the second inning.

Magic Number: State has scored at least five in 20 of its 23 wins of 2023 and is 20-1 when doing so. Over the last two years, MSU is 44-2 when scoring at least five.

About Alabama (29-12, 6-6 SEC)

Rankings: NFCA Coaches – 16 | USA Softball – 14 | D1Softball – 15 | Softball America – 17
Head Coach: Patrick Murphy | Record at ALA: 1219-344-4 (25th Year) | Career Record: 1247-364-4 (26th Year)
Batting Average: .284 | Runs Per Game: 5.2 | Hits Per Game: 7.3 | Slugging Pct: .442
ERA: 1.97 | K/7: 8.0 | K/BB Ratio: 4.7 | Opp. Batting Avg: .185

Series History
Overall: 12-65 | Home: 7-25 | Away: 4-34 | Neutral: 1-6
Current Streak: Lost 4 | Last Meeting: April 16, 2022 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (MSU 0, ALA 4)

About the Crimson Tide
The two teams haven't met in Starkville since 2017, but have played in Tuscaloosa in three years since then (2019, 2021, 2022). Kenleigh Cahalan and Ally Shipman lead the team with 42 and 38 hits, respectively, including a combined 26 doubles. Ashley Prange is third on the team with 37 hits while leading the squad leads the squad with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs. The Alabama pitching staff has a 1.97 ERA with 277.1 innings pitched, led by Montana Fouts at 15-6 with a 1.45 ERA and NCAA-leading 223 strikeouts in 139.2 innings pitched.

On Deck

The Bulldogs will remain at home for a midweek matchup against Memphis on Wednesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. CT. State then travels to Baton Rouge to meet No. 13 LSU. Saturday night's game will see all SEC teams wear teal or teal accents on All For Alex day to honor the legacy of former Bulldog Alex Wilcox. That game will be televised on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. with the remaining two contests airing on SEC Network+.

Follow the Bulldogs

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."

Softball Returns To Super Bulldog Weekend Slate Hosting No. 16 Alabama

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Paige Cook

Grace Fagan

Macy Graf

Riley Hull

Chloe Malau'ulu

Mississippi State University Athletics

Softball Returns To Super Bulldog Weekend Slate Hosting No. 16 Alabama

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Paige Cook

Grace Fagan

Macy Graf

Riley Hull

Chloe Malau'ulu

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